Chennai, Nov 17 (IANS): Commercial operation of the first 1,000 MW unit at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) is expected to happen only next year with the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) agreeing to the petition filed by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL).

The CERC by its Nov 10 order has permitted NPCIL to feed infirm power into the southern gird till Jan 22, 2015 on a petition by the Indian atomic power plant operator.

Infirm power is the one that is generated by a power unit that has not begun commercial operations.

The NPCIL had made the application to CERC seeking its permission to feed infirm power till Jan 22, 2015 or till the unit achieves commercial operation, which ever is earlier.

The CERC had earlier permitted NPCIL to feed infirm power into the grid till Oct 10, 2014 from the first KNPP unit.

However, the unit stopped operations Sep 26 as its turbine blades and diaphragm were damaged. The NPCIL is replacing the components from the second unit being set up there.

According to NPCIL, the turbine problem is expected to be resolved by Dec 22, 2014 and one month's time is needed for eventualities.

India's atomic power plant operator NPCIL is setting up two 1,000 MW Russian reactors at Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district, 650 km from here. The total outlay for the project is over Rs.17,000 crore.

The first unit attained criticality, which is the beginning of the fission process, on July 2013. The unit has started power generation and has been connected to the southern grid.